Teachers arguably have the biggest responsibility out of all professions as they are

tasked with shaping future generations and bright young minds. Ever since creating a

virtual educational health science camp, I fell in love with teaching and knew that I wanted

education to be at the forefront of what I do in the future. At college, I have seen many peers

grow disinterested in learning, merely completing assignments for the sake of grades. As an

educator, I wish to bring passion as a teacher, which I hope will translate into students

wanting to learn for its intrinsic value. Interest can be sparked from various sources. My

goal is to not only make learning fun, but also provide an environment where students

make the most out of their learning ecologies to develop learning opportunities and sustain

their interests. My biggest role model was my Calculus teacher in high school, Mr. Wernau,

who went above and beyond in his lesson plans and provided additional support after

school. Although science became my calling, I came out of his class thinking that maybe I could be a math person. I hope to instill this feeling in my future students too. Out of all the traits Mr . Wernau had, the most crucial trait in being a successful teacher is attentiveness.

​

Attention to the identities in a diverse classroom is key. Following a constructivist

framework should be mandatory in all schools. Unique backgrounds mean that each

student has a different set of schemas. Therefore, students may assimilate and

accommodate information at different rates. As a teacher, I plan on finding out what

students are most familiar with and capitalize on their strengths. For concepts that a

student may be struggling with, I plan on pairing them with a student that has a firmer grasp of the topic. This grouping also helps the more knowledgeable student as the act of

explaining something to someone is the best way to showcase one’s learning and identify

gaps in knowledge that they may know but can’t articulate.

​

The Zone of Proximal Development is a great tool and encourages a discussion-based

classroom where students are encouraged to converse with other students to develop

problem-solving strategies as well as clear doubts. Although, there may be cases when a

didactic style of teaching is warranted, I mainly want to emphasize that one’s classmates

are a great resource at their disposal. Learning with friends can allow you to see the

content in another way, reduces anxiety from learning, and can make the experience more

enjoyable. Students are naturally curious to know why we learn a particular concept, and

instead of dismissing their doubt, a big question I hope to answer is “How does this apply to

my life?” Addressing the power dimension of equity will help students become more

empowered and become emboldened to seek more knowledge, so that they can critique

society. Through criticism of society, we can further progress forward.

​

I intend to evaluate students' understanding using an exit-ticket system, prompting

them to write down one new concept they've learned and one aspect that still poses

confusion. Moreover, I may include a question related to the core concept. This strategy will

maintain student engagement as they know they have an exit ticket to complete. For me, it

provides insights into their thought processes, guiding me on what to address in the

upcoming class. Regular self-evaluation is crucial for educators. Additionally, I advocate for

projects as they enable students to showcase creativity and leverage all available resources,

which is what they would experience in the real-world.